Blue Fire Burns the Hottest
by Panda-x-Penguin
Summary: His crimson eyes always watched her. She could never shake the feeling of being tracked. Hunted. Followed. She knew all too well he had unfinished business with her. Years had passed since their last encounter, leaving her in a mist of uncertainty. He never strayed from his path, and he could tell she was growing weak. It was all just a matter of time now… Rating may change
1. Chapter 1

**_Summary: His crimson eyes always watched her. She could never shake the feeling of being tracked. Hunted. Followed. She knew all too well he had unfinished business with her. Years had passed since their last encounter, leaving her in a mist of uncertainty. He never strayed from his path, and he could tell she was growing weak. It was all just a matter of time now…_**

 _Pairing: Unsure. We're partially leaning towards Castiel x Kagome._

Disclaimer: We do not own Inuyasha or Supernatural. Each belong to their respected owners.

* * *

Chapter One

* * *

She was fifteen years old the first time she was pulled down the well located on her childhood home. Sharp, clutching hands curled around her shoulders in a grip that she was left recalling for the following lifetime. The creature that pulled her, its screeching and gravel-filled voice right next to her head. Some nights she was woken up at the memory of the sound, it sending a freezing chill up her spine and leaving her paralyzed in a state of fear. She didn't like the feeling it gave her. It made her feel weak. It made her feel as if she were a helpless little girl lost in the darkness of her own room without a nightlight or a treasured stuffed animal.

It was on one of those nights, as she lay in her own bed, fighting off the tears that were threatening to spill, that she first became aware of _him_ being there. Her spiritual energy was acting up beyond her ability to control. It left her insides squirming, her heart racing, and her body trembling. The pure power of him enough to revert her back to her fifteen year old self, the her that was still fearful of what lurked in the shadows of the forests she avoided.

She heard his nails scratching at her windows, and she heard the creaking of the tree branch he had himself perched on. It was a hard struggle to act as if she didn't notice, but she managed. For days on end she feigned ignorance about him being there. She'd go about her normal routine.

On one of the days she couldn't place his location an idea came to her. Out in a search for some sort of routine, on a hunt looking for something to add stability to her life, she took to walking the path she once took during her school days. Everyday on this pointless trek of hers, she would pass this shop never before noticed when she was still a gentle-minded child. For the most part she didn't think twice about it, but after weeks and weeks of being followed an idea presented itself inside her mind. She wasn't sure why, or how, but she felt a tugging sensation at her, as if something was pulling her to go to it.

So, she did.

She donned her heavy coat and black lace-up boots and began the thirty minute walk to the store often ignored by those passing by, and at arriving, she hurried inside before she could be found by the creature so intent on following her.

The store itself looked like nothing special on the outside, and its appearance often left others to avoid it. In truth, it looked run down, and it seemed like the perfect place to be crushed by the hazardous structure of the building. Once inside, however, it gave her a second judgement on the store.

Adorning walls were weapons galore. Tables upon tables filled with unique looking artifacts spread across the floors of the establishment. The place was overflowing with a securing aura. It caressed her face and flooded through her body, leaving her with a feeling of peace and calmness. The next thing she noticed was the people inside the store.

Before taking her first step inside the place had appeared completely empty. The windows were not tinted or really anything of the sort, so seeing the many people weaving their way around everyone else threw her for a loop.

As she stood in a daze of unhidden confusion someone spotted her. An old woman with a slight hunch to her back made her way over to her after she had stood in front of the door for what seemed like a long while.

"Hello, my young friend," the woman wheezed out. Her voice sounded older than she appeared. It seemed weighed down from years and years of speech and smoking. "I don't believe I've seen you around before."

"A-Ah… um…" Her cheeks turned red, and she did her best to look away from the knowledge-filled eyes of the woman that stood not far off from her. "I think… I think I'm in the wrong place."

"Oh, no." The woman smiled at her. "You are exactly where you need to be, Kagome."

Blue eyes focused on the woman in a fierce glare. The shy blush melted from her features and she locked her gaze on the wrinkled face of the stranger. "How is it that you know my name?"

"You thought him to be dead, yet, there he is. Everywhere you go." She didn't answere the question presented by the younger girl, and instead continued on, motioning for Kagome to follow. "The years have aged him, made him stronger, my dear. The longer you allow it, the more he will take from you."

"Can you tell me how he is alive?" Kagome asked the woman she was following. "I think it is more than safe to say that he should be dead. I saw him die myself. I… I'm the one who gave the final blow."

"A creature such as him, something so wicked and so foul, is capable of many things. No matter how unclear it is as to how he managed to pull himself back to life, and no matter how he managed to track you after so many long years." She suddenly pulled Kagome to a stop, and turned to look up at her. "For now, you have no time to worry on such things. No… now you have him to concern yourself with, and you must be prepared. These, they have been kept here for years for when you would come. I knew that when I saw you passing by everyday that it'd only be a matter of time before you would come for them."

When the woman had fallen silent, Kagome turned her head to what she had paused in front of.. A surprised gasp fell from her mouth when weapons she hadn't seen in years appeared in front of her. At first it seemed to be an illusion, as the weapons once carried by her companions all those years ago were spread out on a table. They were protected by a pink, gleaming barrier. When she reached for the staff of her long-dead monk friend, the barrier dropped and she found herself able to touch what she thought was lost in time with the souls of them.

Tears brimmed in her eyes, and she shook her head. It was almost as if she could hear him speaking to her, telling her how to trick people without getting found out by them before leaving. A smile lifted her features as she traced her fingers over the remaining weapons on the table.

The Hiraikotsu once carried by Sango and the Tetsusaiga once wielded by Inuyasha were also there. Kagome set the staff back down and turned to the woman.

"I cannot thank you enough for- huh..?"

When she had turned she was greeted with nobody being there. The entire store was now the appearance of rundown and empty. The walls were barren and missing pieces in the wood. Dust filled the entire store, and the once lit up room was dark and smelled of mildew. She could feel nothing of what she had felt before, and she was left standing dumbfounded. Once the bulk of her confusion had left her, Kagome collected the only remaining things in the store, the weapons of her companions, and left the broken-down building.

It was dark when she left the building, opposed to the sunny sky she had overhead when she had entered the building. She turned to take one last look at the store, but was left in another state of shock when that, too, seemed to have vanished after she had left it. All that was left of it was an empty lot, a few stray wooden boards spread across it.

She wasn't sure what to make of the entire thing, but it wasn't something that frightened her. The supernatural didn't scare her, and she chalked this up to good-natured spirits that guarded her friends weapons until they were placed into the hands of someone who knew what they were.

A small smile lifted her lips once more, and she said a small prayer for those who had once been inside. They all were long-gone, probably from the second she and seen the first of the weapons, but it didn't matter. With hope, the prayer had reached them all, and they all knew her gratitude for their gesture.

Wrapped in an old, well-worn blanket were the weapons she now carried. It would do no good for the citizens of her hometown to see her carrying the old relics. She pulled a corner of the blanket back, letting her eyes sweep back over the retrieved memories. They looked as though they could use a decent cleaning. Her eyes began to blur the longer she looked at the weapons, and she soon shook her head.

Once more she was left to deal with the the dark of this world, except, this time it was possible she'd be on her own. She wasn't sure she was ready for this- any of it. The painful feeling of fear began to invade her body again, and it caused the tears being held back behind her powerful gaze to fall at their own freedom. A cold chill of air whirled around her, it blowing her hair into a state of disorder, as a gasp of pain fell from her lips. Her grip on the bundle she held close to her chest tightened, and the pain in her chest began to grow stronger.

Unable to take it anymore, Kagome lost her ability to stand and she dropped down hard onto her knees. The gray leggings she wore ripped at the knees when she landed on them, the skin underneath tearing as well. Her carried cargo dropped onto her lap, and she rose her hands up to her face.

She sat there for what seemed like hours, shaking and sobbing without enough control over herself to stop it. Her mind was running a mile a minute, but the only thought she could find herself able to focus on long enough to actually know was ' _why?_ ' Why… why was it always placed onto her shoulders? Why was it that she couldn't have the grace of a normal life? Why was it her that had to live this life in isolation? Why was it that she had to endure this pain more than once? Hadn't she learned? Hadn't she forgiven fate for screwing with her once simple, lovely life? Why did they keep coming back to her instead of bothering someone else? Couldn't it be seen that she was tired of this? Could no one weaving this path for her see she'd favor death at this point? That she just wanted the calming peace of an eternity with those no longer by her side?

She was pulled out of her thoughts by the sudden weight of water beating down on her. It was only the rain that had come with the wind, and she didn't make a move to get up. The sky's own pain being forced to show in her time of agony.

Kagome laughed under her breath before shaking her head and finally forcing herself to stand back on her trembling legs.

Crying wasn't the solution to all of this, even if it did wonders to make her feel a bit better. She gathered what she had been given and began her long walk back to the empty shrine she lived in.

Like all else, she had no way out of this, and she would have to find a way to endure. Even if it seemed to be impossible, she'd have to find a way.

* * *

Panda: So, a new term has started, and a new year with that. It's snowing like a mofo where Pengi and I live, so yeah. The past few days we've been watching Supernatural on Netflix together. It's been awhile since I've last watched it, so we started from the beginning. Now we're on season 4, soo…  
Penguin: Characters could be out of character, but it's extremely likely it'll be on purpose. The timeline of this story is after Hell's Gate has been opened, releasing the demons, so it's a little bit after that. -We'll say season 3-ish.

Of course, spoilers for those who haven't seen the show.

Anyhow, we hope you enjoyed!

Remember, feedback makes us smile~!

Until next time.

Oh, and Happy 2016!


	2. Chapter 2

**_Summary: His crimson eyes always watched her. She could never shake the feeling of being tracked. Hunted. Followed. She knew all too well he had unfinished business with her. Years had passed since their last encounter, leaving her in a mist of uncertainty. He never strayed from his path, and he could tell she was growing weak. It was all just a matter of time now…_**

 _Pairing: Unsure. We're partially leaning towards Castiel x Kagome._

Disclaimer: We do not own Inuyasha or Supernatural. Each belong to their respected owners.

* * *

Chapter Two

* * *

The longer she stared at them the eerie feeling of uncertainty began to grow heavier on her shoulders. It was starting to near sunrise, and she had yet to get any sleep. Not because she chose not to, but because she hadn't found herself able. Kagome sighed and pushed herself up from where she sat at her aged kitchen table. It wouldn't do any good, just sitting there and staring at the weapons. The weapons weren't the only thing causing her to feel this way. No… it was also due to the fact she hadn't felt a trace of him since yesterday morning before he had suddenly vanished.

Naraku…

Once more she is left with the daunting question worth a million dollars. How _had_ he brought himself back? And, just as important, did he look the same as he did all those many years ago? She just didn't understand any of it, as she could recall clear as day his final moments and what followed afterwards.

After his death, Lady Midoriko had entered her mind to tell her just what the higher powers had in store for the destructive demon. Of course, a being such as him was sentenced to hell upon his dying breath, and what remained of his body burned, the ashes left behind for the wind to carry away.

Still, that left her wondering how he had gotten free from his imprisonment in hell. Someone was to blame for it, but who? Well, perhaps a better question was- Who's ass did she have to maim for being stupid enough to set him free in the first place?

* * *

With the release of the demons from hell, it wasn't normal for them to be lacking in cases, but, surprisingly, they were.

From where Sam sat at the table in the diner, just barely listening to Dean's rambling about a few things he truly could care less about, he continued to thumb through the book he had set before him on the tabletop. Just as when they had a case to work on, his main priority was to find a way to break his brother's deal. With the time running out, he saw the lack of a case as a small blessing. When something smacked him right in the center of his forehead, Sam looked up from the book he had been glued to, and he sent Dean a glare.

"Hey, so are you listening to me or not?"

Sam rose a hand to wipe the remnants of the jelly covered bagel he had just been pelted with, and focused his eyes back on the book. "Yeah, somewhat."

"Oh, come on." Dean reached to slide the book out of his brother's line of sight before slamming it shut. "We've been over this, Sammy. There isn't a way out of this."

"Don't say that." Sam turned sharp eyes towards his brother. "We don't know that yet, Dean. For all we know there could be a way to break this deal. We just need to keep looking for it."

Dean let the sensitive topic of his sold soul drop for now, and he turned the conversation back to what he was saying earlier. "So, about what I told you. What do you think?" When he was answered by nothing but Sam's blank stare, he let out an annoyed huff. "You weren't paying a lick of attention, were you?"

"I was fading in and out," Sam admitted then. "I try not to listen to you for prolonged amounts of time."

Biting back the words he wished to say, Dean pushed the laptop he had been using over to his brother. "Apparently, several people are having to be hospitalized with the same health conditions. All of which, happen to be in the same town.

"What if it's just a virus that's going around?"

"I thought that too at first, but then I actually began to read it." Dean folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair. "Those people aren't sick, Sam. They are the picture of health up until one minute. Then their on the ground struggling to breathe and falling into a comatose state. If that article is up to date, then that makes two people already dead from it."

"It says here that the most recent to be afflicted by it was a girl fourteen years of age. She was in class, and the smell of smoke caused the school to be vacated. Once outside, she began to have issues with breathing. Not even ten seconds later she fell unconscious and hit the ground." Sam frowned and went back to read about the first person to fall ill. "That's similar to the first victim. Her husband said that they were home together before they began to smell smoke. They weren't even able to step foot outside before she passed out."

"Yeah, and the first was a week ago, right?" When Sam nodded, Dean took the chance to continue. "It said that the first victim already died, two days ago. She was in her early twenties. A young woman with perfect health just doesn't collapse and die four or five days later. I don't care how you slice it. It's not natural."

"You think something is targeting them?"

"So far, six females have fallen into emergency care in a single week. All of them with amazing health, and too young for it to just change. Yeah, I think something is targeting them, and it doesn't seem like it's going to stop anytime soon."

"So you just want to go all the way with this one?" Sam asked once he had located where this was happening in the article. "It's pretty far away, Dean."

"I don't care," Dean said as he stood up. "This is the first sign of a case in over a week, and if it's some kind of monster attacking them, then it's up to us to take care of it."

"Okay," Sam said with a nod of his head. He stood up soon after Dean and gave him a smile. "So I guess that means we're flying to Japan."

" _What?_ "

Sam struggled to bite down his laugh at the tone Dean had spoken with. He turned towards Dean and gave a smirk. "That case you just wanted to take, it's all the way in Japan."

"Oh how fucking peachy." Dean growled under his breath, "they should have listed the location in the article."

"They did." Sam gathered up the book and laptop while Dean paid their bill. "You just didn't bother to find it."

* * *

Even leaving her own home had become a complicated ritual. No longer could she leave with nothing but the clothing she wore and a bag. No, now she was made to be extra cautious with everything she did. Even a simple walk to the store was becoming dangerous for her. Now she carried a knife within her purse, or pockets, everywhere she went. Otherwise it would just be negligence on her side.

There were days where she couldn't pinpoint the location of Naraku, and that set her on edge, no matter where she was. She could be in a room full of people, and she would still not be able to find any sense of comfort.

As she made her way back from the store, toting the two paper bags with ease, Kagome became distracted by the sight of an ambulance at a home in a tiny neighborhood. She frowned as she watched a woman be lifted onto a gurney before she was placed into the ambulance and it was rushed off.

That now made seven woman in the last week, and she couldn't understand what was happening. It made her senses light up, and she soon had to leave the area before she lost control of them. Of course, she had her hunches on what was causing it, as the left behind aura of demons always surrounded the location of where these women fell into their comatose state.

With a small shake of her head, Kagome let those thoughts clear her mind, and she continued on her way back home. Even if there was no one there to be expecting her, it wouldn't do her any good to be out later than she had previously decided. She did wonder why she chose to stay in Japan, even though her time here had ended years ago, but she never was able to come up with a good enough reason to leave.

This was her home, it was the only place she could even feel a trace of calmness. Even though rare, she was able to feel small bits of a normal existence here. And, anyway, it was easier to pretend she was a part of the human world in a place where people couldn't tell she didn't belong. She had lived five-hundred years more than she was meant to, and that left her with knowledge she should never have access to, and, yet, she did.

It was all because of the Shikon Jewel, and she hated it. With her very own soul, and everything that made her into who she was. She despised the simple pink trinket.

Because of it, she couldn't have her normal life back.

Because of it, there was no such thing as serenity to her anymore. And she had to live that way from now on. She had grown tired of living over three-hundred years ago, and she couldn't do a single thing about it other than smile and continue acting as if she were a normal woman.

And she _hated_ it.

* * *

Panda: Whoops the second one took a bit longer to finish than we thought. Instead of finishing it up after posting the first chapter, I went out and played in snow. xD  
Penguin: If this is going how we are predicting, Sam and Dean should meet Kagome next chapter. If not, then the one after.

So, we hope you all enjoyed this one, too.

Remember, feedback makes us smile!

Until next time~!


	3. Chapter 3

**_Summary: His crimson eyes always watched her. She could never shake the feeling of being tracked. Hunted. Followed. She knew all too well he had unfinished business with her. Years had passed since their last encounter, leaving her in a mist of uncertainty. He never strayed from his path, and he could tell she was growing weak. It was all just a matter of time now…_**

 _Pairing: Unsure. We're partially leaning towards Castiel x Kagome._

Disclaimer: We do not own Inuyasha or Supernatural. Each belong to their respected owners.

* * *

Chapter Three

* * *

It took quite a bit of time for Sam to urge Dean onto the plane that would fly them over to Japan, and even more time for him to actually stop rambling about how they were screwed if the plane just took a nosedive. But, it was all over for now when the plane actually landed where it was supposed to, and didn't dive down into the sea miles underneath it. The two got off the plane, Dean going faster than his younger brother, and they were soon standing in the middle of the airport, watching as the people continued around them.

Sam pulled a sheet of googled directions from his pocket and glanced at it. It would give them directions to the town they were heading to, and it also held the directions to a few of the locations of the attacks.

First things first, though. They would get a rental car and head out to the town.

.~.

It was a few hours later that they had managed to find their way to their destination, and a shorter amount of time to find their first location within their destination.

"This is the place." Sam said as he located the street address of the house they were parked out in front of. "The home of the first to fall ill."

"Let's go then." Dean shoved the driver's door open before turning to slam it shut. "I hate this thing. So much." He glared at the dark red vehicle they were using.

"Well, it works for now," Sam told his brother as he got out of the car. "It was easier to rent instead of having the Impala. It would have taken too much time to be gotten over here and back."

Dean huffed under his breath before tugging a bag from the back seat, slamming it down on the top of the car to open it. Inside were several of their weapons, badges, and a few other items.

As he looked it over, Sam sent Dean a confused expression. "How did that get through airport security?"

"Very easy, actually." Dean looked at his brother, "tell me again that flying isn't dangerous."

Sam stared at his brother's face, pretty sure that shock was evident on his features. "Dean, you can't just carry a bag full of weapons onto an airplane. What if they were found?"

"Well, they weren't, so won't do any good to worry about it."

"What about the trip back, then?"

"We'll face that when it we get there," Dean said as he dug through the bag until he found what he was looking for. He tossed a black, folded badgeholder to Sam and urged him towards the door. "Now, let's get down to business." The bag was tossed back into the the car, and the two made their way to the front door. Once there, it was Sam who knocked on the door, and the pair waited for the person on the other side to answer it. The click of a lock being undone caused them both to focus their attention before them, and the door soon creaked open slowly.

The man that had come to the door didn't speak. Instead, he just stared at the two in front of him. It was silent for a few moments before it was broken by Dean speaking.

"Um, _konnichiwa_." He came to a pause as he tried to further think of words he could say in the Japanese language. He was drawing a blank before the man decided to say his first words.

"It's okay," he said, seeing Dean's inability to speak the language foreign to him. "I know English well enough to speak it."

"Oh, great! Because I had no idea where I was going with that," Dean admitted before looking towards Sam. After giving a nod, the two flashed the badges they were carrying.

"We're detectives investigating the strange occurrences that have been happening," Sam said as they put the fake badges away. "Do you think we can come in and talk about what happened with your wife?"

"I've already talked to everyone about it. Police, doctors, family… I don't see the point in repeating it all over again." His grip tightened on the door handle, and his eyes went down to the ground. He was about to shut the door in their faces before Sam took a step forward.

"I know you're still in a lot of pain over what happened, and you don't have to talk to us if you don't want to," Sam said, "but if you do, it really would help a lot."

"... What is it that you want to hear?"

"Anything will help."

He nodded before stepping away. "O-Okay"

* * *

She stood outside the shrine, blue eyes cast up to the sky, with a marring frown present on her face. The air around her home was heavy, and it was really starting to rile her up. Her hands at her side began to tremble, fingers twitching, and a blue glow began to swell up around her.

It was odd.

Birds that once sung and lived in the trees growing on the shrine's land were gone. The air carried a foul scent on it, and she could feel the weight it left upon her shoulders. She tried to shake off the feeling it left within her, but it did no good. What floated on in the wind burned at her flesh, and it gave her the feeling of being sick continuously.

Her eyes narrowed as she stared out into the distance. He was looming out there, just waiting for an opportunity to be given to him. His presence could be felt today. Not close, but he was near enough to where she could feel him. He had others with him, some sort of group of minions for his own safety. Kagome snorted at that and turned on her heel to head back inside.

Before she had made it to the door, she came to a halt. Her eyes slid closed, and she muttered a quiet chant underneath her breath. When she opened them next, a barrier visible to her eyes alone was situated around her home. Once she was sure she was secure, she disappeared back through her front door. She shut it and locked it tight.

* * *

"Thank you so much, Sir." Dean and Sam had spent the last hour talking to the man, but it hadn't led to anything informative. "Please, take care," Sam said, giving him a thankful smile, even if the time spent hadn't been well used.

"I will," he answered. Just as he was about to retreat back inside his home, he stopped himself. He turned back towards the two still on his porch, and looked at Sam. "There's this shrine in town," he began, the words stumbling out of his mouth in a hurried rush. "It's an old place, older than other buildings located in this town."

"What about it?" Dean asked him.

"A few years back the owner of it passed away. She was a wonderful woman, her health better than her daughter's." He shook his head then. "The poor girl was out of the county what seemed every week for medical treatment. Her daughter owns it now I think, and her health is at peak condition now. I see her walking through town often."

"I don't understand," Sam frowned and implored for the man to continue in hopes of him getting to the point. "Why are you talking about this?"

"No one bothers to try and connect it, but I remember back then that it was reported she died in the same manner. In fact, it was all over the media. The smell of smoke before she suddenly fell into a state of unconsciousness. Almost a week later, she had passed away, and her children were left to own the shrine. Her son, the younger of the two, left town when he was eighteen I think. Her daughter couldn't bare to get out of here, though." He retreated back inside for a second, grabbing a pen and scrap sheet of paper, handing the paper to the one closest to him once writing down an address. "I think it would be beneficial if you were to go speak with the girl."

Dean looked at the address on the paper given to him before nodding. "Thanks," he said, pocketing the sheet of paper. "Have a good day."

"You too," he responded before bowing and returning back inside his home. Once his door was shut, Dean turned towards Sam. The two left them, making their way back to the car parked at the start of the driveway.

"You think it's a good idea to go speak to the daughter?" Sam asked his brother as they got back into the car.

"I don't think it's a bad one." He shrugged and started the car up. "It might lead to something helpful, or it could be a waste of time. I say we go check it out, and if she's there, we'll sit for a chat."

.~.

"That's a whole lot of steps to climb."

Sam turned to look at Dean with a cocked eyebrow. They had arrived at the address of the shrine they had been pointed to, and they were currently standing on the ground before the humongous staircase.

"I can't imagine climbing that everyday." Dean gave his brother a smirk and nodded towards the top. "I wonder how long it would take for a slinky to reach the bottom."

"Shut up Dean," Sam snapped at him. "Let's just go up there and see if anyone is there."

"Fine," Dean responded with a wave of his fingers, and the two of them began to make their way up the mile long stone staircase. Upon reaching the top, the two looked around at the scenery that greeted them.

Lush, green trees that reached to the sky. Well aged and well walked on stone ground that stretched all the way over the land they stood on. There were two different buildings on the location. One smaller than the other, that one boarded up with locks and chains. The other was well looked after and cared for, the two story building not looking as old as it was claimed to be.

One specific tree on the property caught their eye. It was the tallest there, and a white gate was put up around it to keep visitors from getting too close to it. Small, white paper trinkets were strung up in a single line mid-way up the tree's trunk. The large tree cast a shadow all over the shrine grounds.

"Well, if this isn't just a pretty sight," Dean said, placing his hands on his hips. "Nice and quiet."

Sam shook his head and laughed. "Never thought I'd hear you say something like that and not be completely sarcastic."

"I can say nice things."

"Yeah, but you usually don't." Sam said as he began to make his way across the stone ground they stood on. When he took a deep breath he came to a sudden halt, causing Dean to turn all the way towards him.

"What?"

"Do you smell that?"

Dean frowned and made his way over to where Sam stood. He breathed in the air around them, this time picking up a strange odor in carried on the air. "Smoke?" Dean turned to face the shrine. "It's coming from the shrine."

The two looked at each other before making their way up to one of the ground-level windows. One look inside showed an empty room.

"Sam, go see if the door is unlocked." Dean felt up the pockets of his jacket, and Sam nodded before heading over the small distance over to the front door. When Dean had found what he had been feeling for, his gun and a flash of holy water, he glanced over to see Sam heading back over to him.

"It's locked, and no one answers with a knock." Sam told Dean, rushing back over to where he was. "What's our move?"

Dean looked towards the window and shrugged. He removed his jacket, wrapping part of it around his hand, before he punched in the window they stood in front of. Once he had enough space to slip his arm through, he unlocked the latch at the bottom and slid it open. The two of them climbed through it then and landed on the shattered glass on the floor inside the building.

They looked around for a second, neither of them being able to spot anyone within the room they stood in. Dean took one step forward and peered around a wall a few paces away from him. The sound of someone coming down the hall met his ears, and he slipped out the flask in his pocket. Just when they were on the other side of the wall separating the rooms, Dean jumped out from around the corner and splashed some holy water on whoever was approaching them.

A scream followed his action, and he was then shoved back several paces.

"What the hell do you think you are doing!?" A furious shout echoed out in the room, and the two turned to look at a small woman standing before them. She approached the one who had thrown water at her, her fist taunt, before bringing it down hard on the side of his face.

"We can explain." Sam said, stepping in front of her before she could go in for another swing at Dean. He put his hands up at realizing this woman probably owned the place they had just broken into, and urged her to listen to him.

"Do so. Now," Kagome demanded. "And maybe, just maybe I won't hurt you."

Sam nodded and smiled his thanks towards her. His smile soon melted off his face when the woman before him stared back at him with cold, angry eyes. He could tell from her face alone that they were not off to a good start.

"I'd be happy to."

* * *

Panda: And they have met. Will their conversation be civilized, or will it, for the lack of better term, burn.  
Penguin: Just to be sure it's clear. Kagome is 26/27 years old. Or, she appears to be. More will be revealed about her in the chapters to come.

We hope you enjoyed!

Remember, feedback makes us smile!

Until next time!


	4. Chapter 4

**_Summary: His crimson eyes always watched her. She could never shake the feeling of being tracked. Hunted. Followed. She knew all too well he had unfinished business with her. Years had passed since their last encounter, leaving her in a mist of uncertainty. He never strayed from his path, and he could tell she was growing weak. It was all just a matter of time now…_**

 _Pairing: Unsure. We're partially leaning towards Castiel x Kagome._

Disclaimer: We do not own Inuyasha or Supernatural. Each belong to their respected owners.

* * *

Chapter Four

* * *

Not even fifteen minutes had passed, and they were all sitting inside the spacious den of the home. Well, Sam and Dean were sitting while Kagome stood three feet away from them on the other side of the coffee table. Her eyes were focused on them, more than ready to attack or defend if the need arose.

"I'm waiting," Kagome drawled out in a slow growl.

"Our names are Sam and Dean Winchester," Sam began, searching to meet her icy gaze. "We thought that you could have been in trouble."

"So you have your friend throw water on me?" Kagome motioned to her still-wet shirt before folding her arms back across her chest to hide where her shirt had begun to cling to her bust.

"You could have been a demon," he supplied, "you weren't, so the holy water didn't hurt you."

She turned her glare towards Dean before shaking her head. "You break into a shrine, and think there is a demon located within it? That's a whole new kind of brainlessness, I believe."

"Yeah, we're realizing that now." Dean spoke then, turning his face up to meet her eyes. "Had to think productively, though. The previous owner of this place went the same way as all these other women, right?"

Kagome leveled a glare at him. "Do not speak to me about that," she demanded. "I took care of what killed my mother. What's striking now is something completely different. I would know if it was anything different."

"We were just being thorough."

Kagome snorted and turned her head away from them. Her eyes settled on her broken window. She flicked her hand towards it, and a blue glow had stitched up where the glass had been broken. "Forgive me for saying this, but I'm not impressed by your thinking." Kagome set her palms on her hips and sighed, "but I suppose I should say thanks for being on the lookout for a demon coming for me in the first place. Even though they wouldn't reach me, at all, it's still nice of you to be worried enough to start breaking in people's windows and throwing holy water on the people when they come to see what the commotion was."

"Woah," Dean said as he caught sight of the blue sheen put up within the window. "How the hell did you do that?"

Kagome frowned, "I thought you said you were hunting a demon, or, at least, you thought I was one. If you know about demons, how is it that you don't know the abilities of a Miko?"

"Miko?"

Kagome nodded, and looked towards Dean. "I take it you don't?"

"I've read a bit about legends of them," Sam spoke up, and the other two turned their attention towards him. Kagome nodded, silently telling him to say what he had knowledge of, partially because she was curious if it was accurate. "Mikos are females that live on and tend to shrines, but in the past it was believed that they were women who went into trances and conveyed the word of a god. In later times, it changed, and they were known as young female attendants at Shinto shrines. They performed in dance and helped priests in conducting marriage ceremonies. In modern times, they haven't changed much, and still do the dance and marriage participation."

Kagome nodded her head slowly when he had came to a pause in speaking. "Your knowledge is really impressive, Sam. Do you know anything else?"

He shook his head and met her eyes. "There often isn't much in literature, at least there isn't much translated into English, that I was able to find."

"What prompted you to even look it up?" Dean looked at his brother with an expression of pure confusion.

"Because in some legends they were known to have the ability of killing demons, Dean."

Dean turned to look at Kagome, disbelief appearing on his face. "So, you're one of these miko things?" When she nodded, he continued, "and what he said is true? About you killing demons?" She nodded her head once more and he gave a quiet, dry laugh. "Well I'll be damned."

Kagome shrugged and finally went to sit down in a chair close to the two brothers. "I'm honestly surprised that you have no knowledge on a being that can kill demons, and, yet, you hunt demons." A smile tilted her lips upwards and shook her head. "Granted, there is a lot more unknown by most living in today's times, but I still figured that demon hunters would be aware."

"It doesn't explain how you made that blue light fill up that broken window, though."

"Like all abilities, you need to know how to use them properly." Kagome turned to glance at the window before looking back at Dean and Sam. "Putting up barriers is an ability of mine. It took years to master, but I was able to perfect it."

"What do those thing do?" Dean stood up and made his way over to the window. He set his fingertips against the blue screen. When he couldn't put his hand through, he turned back towards Kagome. "It's solid."

Kagome gave him a confused stare. "Of course it is solid," she told him. "It's a barrier, one put up by me, nonetheless. Nothing weaker than I will be able to pass through it, no matter the side it's on." She furrowed her brows and glanced down at her feet. "Perhaps I should have considered putting a better one up around my house, instead of the one that would only keep him and whatever underlings he has out." She shrugged and crossed her legs. "Hey, while you're over there, do me a favor and pick up the glass you scattered all the way over my floor," she called out before letting her eyes focus on Sam.

"How did you learn how to do that?" Sam asked her, ignoring Dean as he began to mumble complaints about having to pick up the glass. "Put up the barriers? It seems like something uneasy to understand."

"All it takes it years upon years of practice."

"But you're not old. You can't even be thirty years old yet." Sam's face showed his disbelief, and Kagome could only smile at him.

"My appearance marks me as younger than I actually am, Sam." Kagome reached up to untie the string to the pink jewel she wore around her neck. Once she had it within her hand, she held it out for him to see it. "It's on the fault of this pathetic thing that I am how I am."

"Would you mind explaining?" Sam asked her, his words quiet and level with question.

Kagome looked down at the jewel before tightening her fist around it. "Since it involves what I believe you may end up hunting, I think I will allow myself to finally share the story of it with someone outside of my family."

"Thank you," Sam said with a smile. "We'll listen to whatever it is you have to say."

So, she agreed, and when Dean had sat back down next to Sam, she launched into her story of her experience with unhuman beings.

Kagome told them of her trips to the past. She shared with them the evil entity that was named Naraku, and what made him into such a dangerous foe. They were told about the reason as to why the well house on the property was boarded up, and about the tale of the pink jewel she had. At the end of her tale, she finally got to the point of how she had the ability to master her skills so well. It was at that point that point that she begun to demonstrate what she could do, and it was at that point that she had the most fun.

"At Naraku's death, or more so right after, I was told by the creator of the Shikon no Tama that the well was to seal up, and that I would have no choice other than to stay lost in the past where I did not belong. Instead of growing old there and dying, however, I was given a different role." Kagome handed the jewel off to Dean so the two could finally have a good look at it. "I was given the gift of immortality, so that they would never have to concern themselves with finding another miko worthy of protecting the jewel. I had no say in it, and it had been decided by the gods that I was to have this job and responsibility. So, it was decided, and I went through my life there. I went through history and my name was written in the history books with it. Maybe it was how it always was, or maybe it changed because of my presence, but I don't know. If it was changed, there is nothing left of what it used to be to say so." The jewel was soon handed back to Kagome, and she set it on her lap. "I lived for over five-hundred years before I made it back to the time I was born. By then, my physical appearance was at the age of eighteen. Since then, I've just been going with the flow, chalking on another year to my age for each one that I have been back. I've spent eight years back in my _proper_ timeline, and two of those eight I've been on my own."

Kagome held her fingers up to her forehead, shaking her head at recalling the past few hundred years of her life. "When my mother died six years ago, it was just me and my brother then. Those years drug by so… so _slow_. It wasn't normal, not for me. My brother and I grew apart starting the following year. Instead of growing closer like I had hoped upon finally being able to get back to what my life used to be, we never really got back to how we were when we were younger. He left four years after our mother passed away, and since then it's just been me."

"I'm sorry to hear about that," Sam said to her, and Kagome picked her head up to catch his eyes. A small smile worked its way onto her face before she closed her eyes.

"Don't be," she told him. "I've spent hundreds of years in no one's companionship other than my own. I know how to manage, and I don't mind." It was then that she was brought back to the thought of Naraku. "Since you know about how and just when he died, and you happen to be on the search for a demon, I'm hoping that you might be able to answer one very important question that I happen to have."

"What is it?" Dean asked.

"Who freed Naraku from hell?" She looked the two of them over. "I know someone did it, because even he isn't strong enough to pull himself out. Not after the energy he wasted on the final battle, and while in hell there is no way he could have replenished it, not while he was within his holding cell."

There was a few seconds of uncomfortable silence that settled between them. While Kagome waited she kept her eyes focused on the two before her, and the two men suddenly refused to meet her gaze. The smile that had set on her face moments before soon dripped off of it the longer she sat waiting for the answer, the one that they obviously knew. Her eyes hardened and she leveled a glare onto Dean's face.

"You know who did it, and I am waiting for the answer." Kagome's voice was cold, and the prior air of conversation was dying.

"His name was Jake Talley," Sam spoke before Dean could. "A demon named Azazel had him under his control, and he ended up opening the Devil's Gate before anyone could stop him."

"I see…" Kagome frowned, her scowl becoming prominent on her features. "And this Jake Talley… what became of him?"

"He died after opening the gate."

Kagome inhaled sharply at those words, and she soon shook her head. "How… unfortunate it is to hear that."

"I find it hard to believe you actually mean that." Dean snorted at her words, causing her eyes to snap back towards his face.

Kagome shrugged. "Believe it or not, I don't care. He's not the one who has to deal with the creature that is Naraku- I am. I know what he is capable of, but knowing he was freed not that long ago gives me some hope that he's not all that powerful, and that I will be able to end him before he gets too strong."

"That reminds me," Dean nodded towards her, leaning forward a bit to inch closer to her, "what all comes with those powers of yours? Like, what is the package deal with them?"

"I can do a multitude of things," Kagome told them. "Put up barriers, get rid of demons- however, that one only works if hell isn't opened up. I can kill them, too, if they are weakened down enough. That is a skill that takes a lot to master, and it took me a while to learn how to kill them weakened. Full power, that's something I can't do yet." She glanced down at her fingers, and a smirk of amusement lifted her lips. "I can shock people, read energy signatures, and, though this one is a bit rusty, I have the capability of forming weapons out of my aura."

"Woah," Dean let out a low laugh. "I have _got_ to see that."

Kagome's smile grew and she glanced towards Sam. "I'd be happy to show you something."

"Awesome!"

She stood up then and approached Dean. Her smile changed into a smirk and she let her gaze focus on him. A blue glow begun at the tips of her fingers, and, before he could ask what she was doing, Kagome set her fingers to his forehead. A shout was heard as she shocked Dean.

"What the hell!?" Dean shouted at her after feeling the strong sting of the shock Kagome had just done. She smiled and shrugged.

"You wanted to see something, so I showed you." Kagome told him, "I refuse to waste my energy on those undeserving. Much anything else I can do requires more energy, and right now I must preserve what little I have."

She heard Sam snort in laughter and she sat back down in her previous spot. Her hands were clasped together in her lap, and her eyes focused on the two of them.

"Your turn."

"What do you mean?" Dean asked her, a frown forming on his face the longer she just stared at him.

"It's your turn to talk," Kagome said. "Tell me about this demon you are hunting."

"Why do you want to know?"

"I'm a miko," Kagome told them as she kept her eyes focused on the two. "I have the capability of killing the demon, but doing so on my own is risky. As I said, I have to preserve my energy, and I cannot use too much of it up. If you hunt it down, and weaken it, I can kill it."

"No lie?" Dean asked.

"I am an honest woman," Kagome smiled. "My soul is that of a miko. Lying isn't something that I often do." She saw his lack of will to comply, and she laughed. "It's not like you two will be making a deal with a demon. We have similar interests, and it's better to end it with killing the demon."

Sam and Dean shared a look before turning back towards Kagome. It wasn't long after that Dean nodded.

"Alright," he said. "If we weaken it, you kill it, and it's gone, right?"

"Right." Kagome smiled folded her arms across her chest. "That's not all that hard, now is it?" When she got no answer, Kagome rolled her eyes and stood up. "Glad to be in business with you, boys."

"This a one time thing?"

"Maybe, maybe not." Kagome said, "we'll see how it goes. If you prove to be useful, I might count on your help for other instances."

"What does that mean?"

"You two are smart boys," Kagome told them with a smile on her face. "You should know." With those words, she stood up and motioned for them to wait there while she went upstairs. When she came back down, she had changed out of her previous clothing. She looked at the two that hadn't moved from their spots before glancing over to the doorway that led to the kitchen. "Say, are you two hungry?"

"Starving," Dean responded to her, and Kagome smiled at the man.

"I'll make some lunch, and we'll discuss this demon problem, alright?"

"Free food? Sounds like a plan I can roll with," Dean said with a smile.

Kagome gave them one last look before making her way to the kitchen to fix the three of them something to eat. It had been a while since she had someone to actually cook for, and doing so gave her a small jolt of happiness.

A genuine smile worked its way onto her face as she made her way into the kitchen.

Aside form having holy water slung on her as if she were some evil creature, and having her window smashed in, meeting the two currently in her den couldn't be that bad of a thing. At least, not at the moment.

She'd see what they could do, and, if they proved to be useful, then perhaps this would be beneficial in the long run.

* * *

Panda: I think this one is the longest one yet, but it's finally finished. This chapter held a bit on Kagome's history, and just what she can do, but how will all this play out in the next few updates.  
Penguin: Well, we hoped you enjoyed the newest update. Now is the time I want to ask and see if there are any Inuyasha characters you would like to see, just maybe, be added into the story later on? Anyone in specific? Just say in a review, and we'll see if it can be done.

Until then, remember, feedback makes us smile!

Thank for reading, and see you next update!


	5. Chapter 5

**_Summary: His crimson eyes always watched her. She could never shake the feeling of being tracked. Hunted. Followed. She knew all too well he had unfinished business with her. Years had passed since their last encounter, leaving her in a mist of uncertainty. He never strayed from his path, and he could tell she was growing weak. It was all just a matter of time now…_**

 _Pairing: Unsure. We're partially leaning towards Castiel x Kagome._

Disclaimer: We do not own Inuyasha or Supernatural. Each belong to their respected owners.

* * *

Chapter Five

* * *

The three of them had spent the better part of four hours talking, about both what the two men were hunting, and a handful of other things. As she was being told about what the demon left behind, Kagome allowed herself to think it over. A small part of her was thinking it to be the working of Naraku, but it didn't seem like something he could, or would really want to do. He was never one to hide what he does, and he always wanted the attention dealt onto him. She crossed her arms over her chest, setting her mug of tea down on the table beforehand, and took a deep breath.

"The most prominent sign that there has been an attack is the distinct aroma of smoke," Kagome repeated the small bit of information she had been told quietly under her breath. Her eyes narrowed as she thought over the detail very carefully.

"That mean something to you?" Dean asked, watching the way her face scrunched up as she thought to herself.

"Not particularly," she said after a few minutes of prolonged silence. "When my mother was attacked and killed, it was similar, but there was more than just the scent of smoke on the air. There was a legit fire, not large, but it was a fire nonetheless."

"What started it?"

"A demon," Kagome shrugged before reaching underneath the coffee table next to the chair she sat in. She set the book she had grabbed in her lap and began to flip through it in a search for something. "One that harnessed the ability to bend fire to his will. He used it as a distraction to catch my mother off guard."

"A demon that harnessed the ability to control fire?" Dean let his disbelief show for a moment. "That kind of stuff happens?"

Kagome sighed at his response. "Why do I get the feeling that there is a lot that you do not have knowledge about?" Her calm gaze met his annoyed one, and she swapped her attention over to Sam. "There is a lot that you are in the dark about, isn't there?"

"Can you elaborate?" Sam asked her, his face bended into a deep frown.

She turned her attention back to the book she held and continued to flip through the pages. "The demons you are used to facing are the ones that possess the bodies of vessels, but there are other kinds of demons. Some that require the bodies of others, some that do not need bodies to act, and others that have bodies of their own." She gave up searching through her book for a few seconds and looked back up that them, spotting their confused expressions. "It's opposite for me," she said. "Opposed to having to deal with the typing of demons that possess people, I have quite a bit of history with the other two types."

"I don't see how that's possible," Sam met her eyes for a second before she changed her gaze back to her book. "I was always under the impression that possession was a key part to a demon interacting with mankind and such."

Kagome smiled and shook her head. "Not all demons are the same, Sam. The ones that have their own bodies are the ones worth being worried about. The ones without the need of a body are next on that list. The ones that have to possess to do much of anything are fairly weak. Well, not weak, but you understand what I am trying to say."

"So, is there anything else that you need to laminate in bright colors for us?" Dean asked her, and she gave a small snort of laughter.

"Plenty, but I don't feel like sitting here for days while I go into depth about everything I am aware of." Kagome met his eyes and shrugged at the face he gave her. "But there is a bit more that I feel I should say."

"Please continue then."

Her eyes flicked back to Sam, "I'd be happy to." Kagome set her palm to the page she had paused on and ran her thumb over the page. "While a good bit of demons are one-hundred percent bad and nasty, there is a significant percentage that can be counted as good. Most all that can make the distinction of good against bad are those who have their own bodies. It is that reason why they are so dangerous, because you cannot tell just by looking at them what side they will take." Kagome paused for a moment to think over her next words. "There are a few that I met that are on the side of good, and it is my advice that any demon you encounter with the ability of having its own body- do not risk it. They are powerful, and, while they do not always attack right off the bat, they do not play nice with others."

"What about the ones you know?"

"They are not of importance at this moment," Kagome told them. "If I find the need to call upon them, I will, and if you meet them, they will understand that you are to be guarded from others of their kind." She decided that she said had said enough on the current topic, and allowed herself to change it. "The demon you are looking for sounds fairly weak. What it is doing is consuming the life of those it attacks, trying to gain strength by doing so. It goes after healthy females, stealing their energy and strength. Once done, it leaves."

"That doesn't explain the smoke," Sam said after she had fallen silent.

"It's most likely used for a distraction." Kagome responded. "Its victims smell the smoke, they panic, and it is given the chance to strike its primary target. After that, the smoke isn't the concern of those around the victim, and the demon takes its chance to leave." Kagome looked at them with a smile. "All in all, there is a very simple way to get rid of it."

"Want to let us in on that, then?" Dean asked.

"I suppose it would help if I happened to do so." Kagome looked down at the open page of her book. "If I can get a read on its aura, I can summon it to me."

"You mean like a devil's trap?"

"Somewhat," Kagome said with a nod. "There is a few specific things that I need, but I can do it."

"What do you need?" Dean asked, "anything that you don't have?"

Kagome thought it over for a few seconds. "The trap has to be made of my blood for me to summon them to me. I need to have enough energy to keep the spell working until it comes to me, and I am hesitant on that."

"How long would it take for it to show?"

"There is no way to tell," Kagome said with a deep-marring frown. "It could take hours."

"Do you think you'll be able to hold out for that long?" Sam asked her, not liking the way her face hardened.

"I am unsure." Kagome glanced down at her fingertips, watching as she made a blue glow surround them. "I doubt this demon is powerful, so I might." If worst came to worst, she would have to hold on a bit longer with the issue of Naraku.

"So where are we going to do this summoning thing?"

"There is a warehouse about seven miles from here," Kagome said. "Not far off from that is the sight where the most recent attack occurred. If you take me by the home, I can pick up the aura signature of the demon, and then we can go to the warehouse. I'll draw the trap, and then we'll go from there." Kagome looked at the two of them before standing up. "Sound good to the two of you?"

"Sounds like a plan," Dean said, Sam and him standing up seconds after Kagome had.

Kagome gave them a smile and finally extended the book out for Sam to take. "Here," she said, catching him off guard for a moment. "I'll need some help with summoning this demon to us, and I'll appreciate it if you were to read this before we begin."

What?" Sam asked as he took the book. "Why?"

"Because I said so," Kagome responded and turned away from him. "Everything that I need assistance with is written on that page and one following it. Read it, and if you have any questions, ask me _before_ we begin, because if you have questions and you ask during the time we do this, we won't have an easy time with it."

"Got it," Sam said with a nod and marked the page the book was open to with a small scrap of paper before closing it and slipping it inside his coat.

"Good," Kagome gave him a smile and began to head to the door. "Let's go get this nonsense done, boys. Doing this before sunrise will produce the best outcome," she said.

The two followed her out her door without much complaint, and she led them down the stairs. The sun would fall in about an hour, and it would be best to get set everything up before it got too late into the night.

Kagome slipped her hand inside the pocket of her jeans to make sure she had her pocket knife. At feeling the slick metal of its blue casing, she got in the back seat of the car the two men had driven here.

She adjusted herself in the seat and sighed under her breath. She could feel the presence of Naraku, and she began to fidget uncomfortably in her seat.

He hadn't bothered to be near her all day, and now he finally decides to do so. Well, if that wasn't just the most perfect thing to happen to her. She muttered a quiet curse under her breath and looked out the window beside her.

This needed to be finished- and soon.

* * *

Panda: Not quite as long as the last one, but this was a decent stopping point. Well, for now at least. Next chapter should be longer.  
Penguin: We plan on adding in Sesshoumaru sometime in the later chapters. Near the point we get to adding in Castiel, and the other angels. Shippo and Koga have the strong possibility of being added in later, too. Anyone else you all would like to see added in? Please feel free to say.

Until next time, and remember- feedback makes us smile!

Later~!


	6. Chapter 6

**_Summary: His crimson eyes always watched her. She could never shake the feeling of being tracked. Hunted. Followed. She knew all too well he had unfinished business with her. Years had passed since their last encounter, leaving her in a mist of uncertainty. He never strayed from his path, and he could tell she was growing weak. It was all just a matter of time now…_**

 _Pairing: Unsure. We're partially leaning towards Castiel x Kagome._

Disclaimer: We do not own Inuyasha or Supernatural. Each belong to their respected owners.

* * *

Chapter Six

* * *

"Shall we get this thing started?" Kagome asked the two standing not far off from her. They hadn't been inside the warehouse for more than ten minutes, and the sun would be sinking sooner than later. In her hand was her knife, and she kept flicking it open before snapping it shut. She turned on her heel and glanced towards Sam. "That is, if you're done reading that- again." When he held his finger up to silence her, Kagome rolled her eyes and brushed the toe of her shoe against the stone floor. A few more minutes passed by, them all just standing around in wait, before Sam put the book back inside his jacket.

"Okay," he said, approaching where she stood in the center of the room. "I think I got a good understanding of what to do."

"Lovely," Kagome smirked his way and opened her knife once more. "Dean," she called out to the man standing against the shut and sealed door to the warehouse. He turned towards her, and she motioned for him to go to the bag that had been brought in with them. "Get me a bowl, a cup, something that can be used as a container for my blood."

He complied and did as he was asked, rustling through the bag until he happened across something that would do. Once he had found an item that would do, he shut the bag half way and made his way over to where Kagome stood with Sam. He handed her the small silver bowl and Kagome smiled her thanks. She took it, and set it on the ground before sitting down before it.

Kagome slipped the sleeve of her shirt up to her elbow, crossing her legs and setting the bowl in her lap. A blue glow surrounded the knife she held, and she ran the blade along the middle of her forearm. She extended her arm over the bowl in her grasp, and held it there until she had enough blood in it. When she was finished she set the bowl on the floor and stood up to hand Sam the knife she held. "I'd appreciate it if you pitched in now."

Sam nodded and took the knife she offered. "How should we do this?"

"As it was written in the text of the book," Kagome said. She slipped off her outer shirt and let it drop to the floor. The light pink camisole underneath her gray button up remained on. "One on each shoulder blade, and one in the center of the back." She pulled her hair out of the way and stood waiting for the feel of the metal already drenched with her blood. She heard his sharp intake of breath right before the first cut was done to her back. His hesitant pause was felt, as if he was checking to see if she have a response of pain. When she didn't do much other than a quick flinch he continued.

After fifteen minutes of precise carving, he had finished and he watched as she moved away from him.

"What was the point of that?" Dean asked her when it had ended, only to have her send him a glare that silenced him.

"No questions," she said as she dropped down onto her knees. She dipped her pointer finger into the blood and stirred it. The bowl was set down at her side, and she rocked forward, balancing her weight on her knees and free hand. "Not a single word from either one of you until I finish drawing this."

The entire room was filled with silence for the next ten minutes while Kagome focused on what she was doing. She could feel the attention from both Sam and Dean, and, when she had finished and stood up, she turned to face them. They were motioned to move back with a flick of her wrists, and they did. "One of you get me some salt," she ordered, and as soon as she had a container of salt in her hand, she stepped within what she had drawn. Once in the center of the ring Kagome began to use the salt to make symbols matching the ones Sam carved into her back moments ago. After she had finished with it, she stood back up on her feet and went to retrieve the blood left in the bowl. A blue glow surrounded her hands as she muttered a quiet incantation under her breath. Her blood in the bowl took on a faint glow as she chanted it once more. The third time she repeated the incantation she dipped her fingertips into the bowl she held and upon removing them she allowed the blood still on her fingers to drip down onto the symbols made of salt. The white of the crystals flicked blue before turning back to normal. When she had finished she stepped from the circle and set herself in front of it. She paused for a few seconds before removing the jewel from where it hung around her neck, and Kagome set the pink stone three inches from the outside of the circle. With the jewel set in it's place, Kagome turned away from it to head back over to where the two boys stood. Once beside them she gave a smile.

"Well, that's done," she said. "Now we wait." Kagome crossed her arms about her chest and glanced up at Dean. "You do have a means of weakening the demon, right?"

"Oh yeah," Dean responded instantly and flicked his thumb over his shoulder to point to the bag not far off. "We've got ourselves an assload of iron."

"You might want to, you know, go and get some of it in your hands." Kagome looked over to what she had made. "That thing made of my blood won't keep the demon sealed inside it. All it will do is summon it here. It might appear within the circle, but don't think it will trap it."

There were a few seconds of silence were Dean just stared at her. "You're not kidding, are you?"

"No," Kagome frowned, her face twisting up in confusion. "Why would I do that?"

"Well the warning was a nice thing," Dean said while heading over to the bag. He took a few iron rods from it, handing one to Sam and herself while keeping the third with himself.

Kagome took the offered item in her right hand and looked it over. "I figured it'd be helpful to let you know that the demon wouldn't be trapped. It'd be mean of me not to give you the heads up."

"Now that we're all battle ready, wanna tell me why those symbols were carved in your back?" Dean asked, "or can we still not ask any questions?"

"Well, I suppose if you want to know, now is a good time to tell you. It'll help pass the time, at least." Kagome moved her hair over her shoulder once more, exposing her back for the older brother to see. "These three symbols, for the lack of a better term, will be what causes the demon to find us. They are drawn into the circle as well, and until those in the circle are broken or destroyed, my energy and aura will continue to be active."

"Is that why you put some of your blood on the symbols made of salt?"

Kagome nodded. "Yeah. What it does is attach my aura to a sturdy place, and with the Shikon Jewel sitting on the outside of the circle, that gives the demon a reason to come in the first place."

"Was there a reason to make the circle with your blood in the first place?" Sam asked her. "It seems like a lot, and if your blood is already on the salt, what's the reason?"

"The more blood used the less energy I have drawn from my body." Kagome saw his look of confusion, and she began to clarify. "My blood holds a great deal of my energy within it. Having the circle drawn from my blood keeps me from using too much of it, and if I happen to need to use more, the symbols on my back and in the circle will let me do so. Until then I can stand and wait, and when what energy I have existing in my blood runs out, I can fall back on the symbols."

"That's a pretty useful trick you have there," Dean said after Kagome had fallen silent. "What other ones do you got hidden up your sleeve?"

"That is my business, and matters not to either one of you two." Kagome rolled the item in her hand in a circle before setting one end of it to the floor in front of her. "You two haven't even proved your competence in this. Why should I trust you enough to tell you what else I can do? I've already gone against my better judgement and told the two of you about the jewel, not to mention that I've showing you quite a bit of what I can do. If I say anything else, well… that'd be just foolish of me, boys."

"Regardless of what you think of us, I hope you know your secret is safe with us." Sam told her, turning to look down at her. Blue met hazel, and she smirked.

"Better be," she said. "I'd hate to have to kill the both of you. You're too cute to die."

Before either one of them could respond to her comment the wall to the building they stood began to shake and creak. Seconds later the small amount of light in the room flickered twice before it disappeared. Kagome took a step back out of the way, setting herself a few feet behind Sam. They waited in darkened silence for a few minutes, the silence being broken when a low growl echoed throughout the area. Kagome's gaze found the location of the jewel, the pink shine from it providing the only source of light, and she began to make her way over to it. When she was only a few inches away from it, she felt a cool hand wrap around her upper arm, a loud hiss ringing in her ears when whatever grabbed her was burned. She didn't flinch at the sound, and instead only bent to pick the jewel up. Once she had it back in her hold, Kagome turned back to where Sam and Dean stood.

It didn't take them long to get the upper hand on the demon. The initial burn of Kagome's aura to it causing it pain, as well as the burn of the iron against it. Once it had gotten weakened by the other two there, Kagome approached the demon. She pressed her fingertip to the forehead of the creature hidden in the dark of the room, and allowed a blue glow to surround her entire hand. A second later the demon gave an angry growl and the presence of its aura vanished from the area.

Kagome glanced down at her hand and sighed. She could feel her body shaking, her energy depleted to levels she deemed much too low for her liking. Her attention went to the salt stained with her blood, and she went over to them. She brushed her foot over the three symbols, causing the three of them to be wiped away, and the three on her back began to heal up.

Her gaze went back to her hand, the trembling causing her to grow uneasy. She let her mind go to Naraku for a split second and she did what crossed her mind first: she masked her energy. When she turned back towards the other two, watching without much luck as the doors were opened by Dean.

She took a deep breath and followed after them.

"Hey," she called out to them just before they managed to take a step outside into the dark space of the outside world. They paused and looked back at her.

"You coming?" Dean asked her, nodding her way when he noticed she had come to a halt in her walking.

"Let me guess," Kagome said as she put back on her outer shirt, "you're going to be leaving town soon, right?"

"That's the plan." It was Sam that spoke that time, and she let her eyes focus on him. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," she glanced down at her feet, hesitating on her next words for a few seconds. There was few more moments of silence before she shook her head. "I'll be coming along," she said then, her mind sounding made up.

"Wait, what?" Dean turned to look at her. "I don't think you should. It's better for you to stick where you are."

"Naraku was freed from hell on a lack of your inability to stop the demon from doing so." Kagome focused her eyes on Dean. "He will hunt me, and he knows me too well for me to live in peace here. I am not in a state to defend myself as well as I would like to be. If I can become stronger, like I was when I first managed to defeat him, then perhaps I will stand a better chance. Until then I will come along with you two and help you."

"Seriously-"

"I am serious, and do not act as if you wouldn't appreciate it." Kagome cut Dean off before he could say much. "My mind has been made up, and if you don't like it, you will learn to."

With those as her final words to the two of them, Kagome took to walking ahead of them. Even as they tried to call her back she didn't bother paying them any mind. After she had left them behind her, Dean turned to face Sam.

"Do you really think something like this is a good idea?" Dean asked his brother, watching the way Sam shook his head with a smirk.

"You want to be the one telling her what to do?"

Dean turned back to look at the path Kagome had walked. He let out the breath he was holding and looked back at Sam.

"Eh, maybe it'll be beneficial to have someone that can kill a demon riding shotgun." Dean said finally before following after where Kagome had went off to.

* * *

Panda: Wasn't sure about this one, tbh. It probably wasn't all that good, but ending this part had to be accomplished. So, sorry if it was dull.  
Penguin: We'll try to get a new update posted up soon. The next chapter will hopefully be a lot better.

Remember, feedback makes us smile!

 **Until next time!**


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